Wild Horses
by kismets024
Summary: Haley James is this girl who feels like she is closed in and doesn't feel like she is truly living her life. She meets this guy Nathan Scott, and they become great friends, and he slowly tries to break down the walls she spent her whole life building.
1. History

_**Wild Horses**_

A new story that I hope will please readers. This is based on the song Wild Horses by Natasha Beddingfield. I love the song, and it has a great meaning to it. Haley James is this girl who feels like she is closed in and doesn't feel like she is truly living her life. She meets this guy Nathan Scott, and they become great friends, and he slowly tries to break down the walls she spent her whole life bulding. It may sound cliche but give it a try, and reviews would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a ton! Hope you like it.

**Chapter One: History **

_"Mom, please just stay with me a little longer." A young Haley begged with tears stinging her eyes._

_Lydia James was gasping for air. "Baby, you have to be strong." Her eyes were fluttering open and close. "I promise you, I will always be here with you." She weakly picked up her daughter's hand and put against her heart. She could feel it hammering her chest. "Take care of your dad, okay?"_

_"Mom..."_

_"I love you so much," Lydia said, crying. Her eyes closed, and a then her body went limp._

_Haley stared at her mom's lifeless body, her body shaking with fear and sorrow. _

Her eyes opened, and she could feel sweat trickling down her forehead. Her mom's image haunted her mind. A second later, her alarm clock went off. She reluctantly pressed down on the snooze button.

It was Monday morning, which meant it was only the beginning of the week. She groaned. Haley got up, and went to take a shower.

She had the same dream everyday for the past three weeks, maybe because it was almost the anniversry of her mom's death. She dried her hair, and chose her wardrobe for the day: jeans and a halter top. She put her hair up in a messy bun, showing her angular features. Everyone said she looked like her mother when she put her hair up. It seemed like that was the only thing her mom left her: herself.

She brushed her cheekbones with pink blush, and lined her eyes with liquid black liner. She coated her lips with strawberry lipgloss, and then she heard a car honk outside her window. It was Brooke.

Haley made her way down the stairs, and checked her living room. Her dad was sitting on the chair with a blank expression, and this time there were 6 beer bottles on the coffee table. "Dad, I'm leaving." Haley said to him.

He looked at her and smiled. "You gonna be home for dinner?" His voice was rough.

"I took an extra shift at the cafe. I'll see you when I get home, 'kay?"

"Be careful, honey."

She smiled and nodded. There was long pause before she said something else. "I love you, dad."

"I love you, too, kiddo." But he didn't meet her eyes.

She backed out of the living room, and opened her front door. She pulled her sunglasses down from her head, the sunlight was blinding. She got in the front seat of Brooke's car. "Hey girlie."

Haley plastered a smile on her face. "Hey. Where's Lucas?" It was wierd not seeing them together. They're always together.

"He's meeting us at school. He needed to get his brother enrolled." Brooke explained.

"Brother? Lucas never said anything about having a brother."

Brooke kept her eye on the road. "It's his half-brother. He just came here. I think his name is Nathan, or something."

The rest of the ride was in silence. They arrived at the front of the school, and Lucas was standing there. Brooke got out, and walked to him wrapping her arms around him and giving him a kiss.

Haley awkwardly sat beside Lucas on the bench. "Hales...what's up?" Luke broke away from Brooke, and stared at her.

"Just tired. Didn't get much sleep last night." She admitted.

"The same dream?" Lucas sounded concernced.

Brooke got out of his grip, and sat beside Haley. "Maybe," Haley answered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Brooke asked. "Hales, maybe you should talk to someone."

"You want me to talk to a shrink? You think I'm crazy?" Haley sounded insulted.

"You're not crazy, that's not what we're saying. But maybe Brooke's right. Maybe talking to someone about it will help you." Lucas tried to rationalize.

"I don't need to talk to anyone, I need my friends and apparently they're not here." She got up, and went straight to her classes.

She didn't need her friends telling her to talk to a shrink. She didn't need to, she was fine. So what if she was getting reoccurring dreams about her dead mother? So what? Many people got them, right? She took a deep breath, and took a seat in the class. Even though it was 5 minutes early, she wasn't the only one in there. She put her bag down, and took out her books.

"Hey," a student said, sitting next to her.

She just smiled and went back to what she was doing.

"I'm Nathan." He said. "A transfer. Are the rumours true?"

"What rumours?"

"That the teacher sleeps with the students?"

Haley laughed. "Are you serious?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "That's what I've been told."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but no. Mrs. Carter is married with three kids. She has the perfect life, and perfect family. Why would she need anything from naive school boys - high school boys to say the least." Haley explained. She gave out an irritated sigh. She didn't want to talk to anyone right now.

Surpisingly Nathan was in all of her classes, but after first period, he didn't say another word to her. After school she walked to the cafe, didn't bother catching a ride with Brooke. But Brooke visited her there. "I'm sorry." Brooke said.

Haley didn't say anything.

"Look, I just suggested it, doesn't mean anything. Hales, you haven't been like yourself, and me and Lucas are worried."

"I'm fine, Brooke. After Thursday, I'll be back to normal." Haley said, handing her a cup of latte.

"Thursday? What happens Thursday?" Brooke forgot about July 10.

Haley didn't reply, and with a simple sigh Brooke remembered. "Oh...Hales, every year you act sad and mopey when it comes close, but this year is different. You don't open up to me or Lucas. At least last year you smiled." Again no response.

Lucas came in, and put his arm around Brooke. "Wow, you could cut the tension with a knife." He said.

"Do you have to be so cynical?" Haley asked, giving him coffee.

"Does that mean we're friends again?" Lucas asked giving her a smile.

Haley's mouth cuved alittle.

"Good, because I have someone I want you to meet. Everyone, my brother, Nathan Scott." A tall brunette walked into the cafe on cue as if they rehearsed it. Haley rolled her eyes, and turned her head. "Nate, this is Brooke, my girlfriend, and this is Haley."

"That's my introduction?" Haley scoffed. "No subtitle, like best friend? Or what about the girl who saw you try on make-up in the fourth grade?" Haley reminded him with a smile.

"You promised we would never speak of that in public." Lucas glared at her, but everyone else was laughing. Haley just smiled at him.

"We've met," Haley said turning her back.

"That's great." Lucas said smiling, but he could feel the tension in the air.

After Lucas and Brooke left, they left Nathan and Haley alone. It was almost 10 o'clock, and she was beginning to close up. "Uh...It's closing time." She informed Nathan who was sitting on the couch just staring blankly.

He nodded and got back up. "Look, I'm sorry about class today."

"No, I'm sorry. I was the bitch. I'm not usually like this, and your brother and his girlfriend seemed to notice." Haley said, bringing mugs to the back.

He sighed, "'brother'" he seemed to echo. "You know I've never called him that before. He's like a stranger to me." He admitted.

"But you guys seem close." Haley told him. "I mean with how he talks about you."

"He talks about me?"

Haley chuckled lightly. "Actually today was the first I've heard of you, but i don't know. Just never mind what I said." She turned off the lights in the kitchen, and placed her patterned apron on the hanger. She turned off the main lights, and put her back over her shoulder. She got the keys out of her pocket, and let him exit the cafe before she did. She turned the key into the lock and heard the click. "Bye." She waved at him, and walked in the opposite direction.

"Do you need a ride home?" He asked her.

"I'm fine, thanks." Haley assured him.

"It's dark and late. It won't be a problem. And with you being Lucas' best friend, I think it's best if I drive you home."

Haley laughed quietly. "I don't live that far away. I can make it."

"I won't take no for an answer." He insisted.

She smiled and walked with him to his car. Like a gentleman, he opened the door for her, and let her slide in before entering through his door. The car had that new car smell. The leather felt good against her skin, and very comfortable. He rolled down the windows so they could feel the cool breeze. Haley instructed him on where to go. He opened the door for her. "Wow, nice house."

"Thanks, my mom chose it." Haley said.

"Is your mom home?" Nathan asked.

Haley's eyes widened. "No, she passed away when I was 9."

"I'm sorry." Nathan said looking down. He felt horrible for asking.

"It's okay." She lied. "So thanks for the ride."

Nathan smiled. She never realized how attractive he was. "It was my pleasure. So I'll see you tomorrow?" There was an excitement to his voice.

"I guess so." Haley turned around and opened her door. Her house smelled like beer. There were a lot more beer bottles on the coffee table than she last remembered of this morning. She sighed, and took them to the kitchen. There were dirty dishes in the sink. Haley was the type of person who needed to have everything perfect before doing anything else. She washed the dishes, and cleaned up alittle in the living room. She slowly went up her bedroom, passing her parent's bedroom. Or was it only considered her dad's? She saw him already in bed, but over the covers with shoes on. She walked in, and the smell of alcohol burned her nose as she bent down to take off his shoes. She placed a blanket over his body.

She turned on her light in her bedroom, and placed her bag on the chair like she's done everyday. She went to take a shower, and changed into her pajamas. She got into bed and let out a yawn. She was exhausted. Her head touched her pillow and she was facing her nightstand. A picture of her mother was in full view. "Goodnight, mom." She whispered and then she turned off her light, and closed her eyes.


	2. Slow and Steady

_**Chapter 2: Slow and Steady**_

Haley woke up early, and she dropped by the cafe early. Brooke and Lucas was already there. She went behind the counter, and poured herself some coffee. She didn't get enough sleep last night, especially with the reoccurring dream. She looked at herself in the mirror, and there were dark shadows underneath her eyes. She took a sip, and burned her lips.

"Hales, there's a party tonight, wanna come?" Brooke asked her.

"Uh...I can't. I took another shift tonight. Maybe next time." Haley said.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "You said the last two times I asked you. Maybe you should take a break, you don't look so good." Brooke informed her.

"Yeah Hales, you almost look like Dracula's wife with your pale skin and your dark eyes." Lucas teased her.

"I'm fine. I just need an overload of coffee, and I'll be able to go on the rest of the day." Haley assured them.

When Haley turned her back, Brooke took out a pamphlet out of her bag. Haley saw it. "What the hell is this?"

Brooke looked at her. "I got it in one of my mom's drawers. It's for therapy." Haley glared at them. "We're not saying anything, it's simply a suggestion. Haley those dreams...maybe if you talk to someone about it, it'll stop."

"And what if I don't them to stop?" Haley retorted.

"You're dreaming about your dead mother, Hales." Lucas said.

"Can you just stop and listen to me. I miss my mother, is that so bad? Maybe having those dreams is fine with me because it's like I get to see her all the time, even if it is the worst possible thing that's ever happened to me. I don't need therapy, I need to just be alone for while. So stop treating me like I'm a child and like I'm about to break. I would've done that by now if I was going too. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go to school, and pretend we never had this conversation." Haley took her bags, and left the cafe angry.

As she walked through the quad, she saw all the students laughing with their friends, couples holding hands, and kissing in public. It seemed as if everyone didn't have any problems in their life, and she was only the one who was going through a tough time. She admitted that she was depressed, and she was sad all the time, but she wasn't suicidal or anything. Was it her fault that she missed her mom? Was it her fault that while everyone could go home everyday and talk to their mothers, she couldn't? Was it her fault that everyday she had to take care of her father because he just couldn't accept the fact that she was gone? After everything's she's been through, she had a right to be sad; to be depressed. She had to grow up at an early age, and never had a chance to truly be a teenager.

After listening to her own thoughts, the thought entered her mind. _Maybe I do need therapy._ She shook that thought away. She was going to prove Lucas and Brooke wrong. She was fine. She could be happy. She could go around with smiles on her face. Right?

After school, she went to the cafe as per usual, and did what she was paid to do. She gave everyone smile who walked in and ordered something. But she knew it wasn't how she really felt. It was quater to 9, and the cafe was practically empty. She started wiping down the tables, and she heard the chiming as the door opened. "We're closing early," she called out.

"I just came in here for the best cup of coffee in time." It was Nathan.

She chuckled, "Where did you hear that?" She took the mugs to the back as she did the night before.

"Around." Nathan leaned against the counter. Haley poured him a cup. "How much?"

"Don't worry about it." Haley turned around to put the pot back.

Nathan picked up the pamphlet that was left on the table. "Who's crazy?" Nathan joked.

Haley hesitated for a minute. "Brooke and Lucas left that for me." She admitted.

Nathan was immediately taken back. He regretted what he just said. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

She shrugged it off. "They think I need it." She confessed. For some reason she felt more comfortable talking about it with Nathan. Maybe it was because of the look in his eyes. He seemed like he wouldn't judge her, he would just listen to her, and that's all she wanted right now. Or the possibility that someone might actually want to listen to her talk. That she knew it was an option.

"I didn't mean that someone who needs a therapist is crazy. Sometimes I feel like I need one." He admitted to her.

She just stared at him. But when she returned back to reality, she noticed the cafe was empty except for the two of them. She cleared her throat, and turned off the lights in the kicthen. She placed her apron away, and took the keys.

Nathan walked out first again so she could lock up. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah," Haley smiled. She took a long breath, and walked away.

"Do you want me to drive you home again?" Nathan hoped she'd say yes.

Haley turned to look at him. "Um...Actually, I'm not going home yet. I don't really wanna see my..." She was about to say something really personal, but she stopped herself. "I'm not going home."

Nathan nodded. "You want some company?"

Haley thought for a minute. "Sure." Even though she just met Nathan, there was something about him that was so trusting. He wasn't like Lucas, there was something different about Nathan. There was a calmness in his eyes, and he seemed so reliable. Or maybe because it was easier talking to a stranger than someone she's known all her life. Nathan didn't know her, so even if she did decide to open up to Nathan, he wasn't able to judge her.

They just walked down the road, leading to the river. It was in silence, and it felt good. Nathan didn't push her to say anything, not like Lucas or Brooke. He just walked with her. Haley enjoyed it. She didn't feel any pressure. It was just Nathan and her under the stars, feeling the cool breeze on their faces, through their hair. She stopped, and sat on the edge of the bridge, letting her feet fall. Nathan joined her. "You come here often?" He asked her.

"My mom used to bring me here. Sometimes I come here just to think, just to be alone. I'd listen to the water, and just look ahead of me. And as time goes, I just forget everything else." Haley said.

"You miss your mom?" The answer was obvious, but he had a feeling like she's been dying to talk about to someone. Haley didn't answer, and Nathan didn't push her. "You know, I've lived with my mom and dad for my whole life. I can't imagine what it would be like if she passed away." Nathan tried to sympathasize.

"You shouldn't." Nathan looked at her. "I mean you shouldn't picture your life without her. Because it's nothing compared to reality."

Nathan stayed silent for awhile. "My dad was the one who planned this trip to Tree Hill. 'You should stay with your brother, maybe you could learn something from him'" Nathan imitated Dan. "All my life, he's treated me like I was better than Lucas, and now it seems like the table's turned. I'm better than him."

"But you went on the trip." Haley said.

"I didn't go for him. I went for me. I needed an outlet. Things at home just got out of hand, and coming here seemed like a way out of it. Plus, I got to get to know the brother I've always wanted." He confessed.

Hearing him talk to her about his personal life just a day after meeting her made her feel better in a way. He trusted her, and it made her feel like she could trust him. Since he opened up to her about something, she felt like she needed to say something back. "I've been getting these dreams about my mom for the past couple of weeks." She said, not meeting his eyes, but she feel his eyes on her. "It's her on her hospital bed. I'm holding her hand, and I'm crying. I'm asking her to stay with me for a little while longer. It seems so real. I could see her chest barely moving, and sometimes it seems like I could feel her heart beating with mine." She felt a big lump form in her throat, but she choked it down. "Than she tells me I have to be strong, and I have to take care of my dad. She tells me she loves me, and then her hand falls out of mine, and she's gone. That's when I wake up." She said to him. "I've never told anyone that before, not even Lucas. All he knows is that I have dreams..."

"I won't say anything." Nathan promised.

She chuckled weakly, "That's why they want me to go to therapy."

Nathan didn't know what to say. What was he supposed to say to that?

Haley felt her burden lift a little. She never told anyone that - about her dreams, and she didn't regret telling it to Nathan. He had something safe about him that her have complete trust in him. He didn't interrupt her when she was talking, he just sat there listening. Also, she could tell that he wasn't hoping for her to shut up like most guys. Nathan was different. Talking to him was like breaking down the walls she spent her whole life building, but she was still afraid.

The reason why she never opened up to anyone was because she hated the vulnerability it showed. It would reveal her weakness, and that means that someone may use it against her. Even though she did open up to Nathan, there was so many more things that she wanted to hide. But what she was afraid of was that Nathan was the key to unlock all those memories. Could she trust him that much? She really wanted to become the person Brooke and Lucas wanted her to be, a carefree spirit. Maybe her mother sent Nathan to her so she could that person.


	3. Honest Darkness

_**Chapter 3: Honest Darkness**_

Nathan walked Haley home after their 'talk'. She walked up the porch steps, and turned around. "Thanks for listening."

"Anytime." Nathan's mouth curved into a smile. "Haley you're gonna be okay."

Haley smiled at him. "Good night."

"Good night." Nathan watched her walk into her house and then he realized his car was back at the cafe.

Haley walked inside her house and all the lights were off. She walked into the kitchen, and just like the night before, there were dirty dishes in the sink. She sighed. She put her bag down and washed the dishes. Once she was finished, she walked to her living room. Her dad was sitting on his chair in the dark. She assumed he was asleep, but then she saw the white of his eyes. She turned on the light. "Dad, what are you still doing up? It's almost 12am." Haley told him.

"I was waiting for you." His voice was emotionless.

Haley didn't believe him. "Right," her tone was more bitter than she intended it to be.

"Haley, maybe you should take tomorrow off." Her dad suggested.

"Someone has to make money, dad. And considering it's not you..." Her voice trailed off. She was angry at her dad, and she wasn't going to hide it.

Her father heard the angry tone in her voice. "You know I'm still sick." He's been using that excuse for awhile now. That he's been sick so he didn't have to go back to work.

"You've been sick for the past 3 months, dad!" Haley cried out. "Actually, you've been claiming you're sick since the night she died! It's been 8 years, dad!"

"You don't know what it's like, Haley. Losing someone you love."

She was taken back by what he said. "I don't know what it's like?! I lost my mother!"

He realized he said something wrong. "Hales, I'm sorry. I didn't mean -"

"No. Dad, you don't what it's been like for me. Going to school and pretending that everything's okay, seeing people around me just having the best time of their life, while I'm there praying that the day could just be over." Tears were streaming down her face. "You don't get that everytime I come home, I see you on your ass, just sitting there doing nothing! I get it, okay. I get it. You lost your wife, but you don't understand what it's like losing a mother, dad. I see everyone out there holding their mom's hands, or being able to go home and just have an endless conversation with her, but I can't have that. But you think that I can have it with my dad, but no. Because when I want to talk to my dad, he's at home getting drunk. It's because of you that I'm this way. It's because of you that I cry every night." Her heart was hammering in her chest, and tears were stinging her eyes. She sobbed, trying to catch her breath.

Her dad was holding back the tears. "I'm sorry."

"That's all you can say? Because if it is, than you're pathetic, dad. She's gone, dad. Mom's gone, and we can't change that. But some of us are still alive." Haley grabbed her bag, and slammed her front door once she left.

She didn't know where she was going. She was just walking down the road. In the far distance, she heard the town clock chime, it was midnight. She was alone, cold, and upset. The worst possible combination. She was also tired. As she walked, her eyes became heavier, and she just wanted to go into her bed, and fall asleep. But she couldn't go back to her room, she couldn't go back home. She walked to the cafe, and then Lucas came across her mind. She could always go to him. It started to rain, and she started running to Lucas' house. The was pouring down, and it felt like little piches on her skin. By the time she knocked on his door, she was drenched with water. She wiped her face and knocked again.

It was Nathan who opened the door. "Haley?"

She panting, "Is Lucas home?"

"No, he's at Brooke's." Nathan saw her eyes and they were red and puffy, like someone who just finished crying. "Come inside, you're all wet."

Haley was dripping with water as she entered the familiar house. "Thanks."

"Let me get you a towel." Nathan turned and went into a linen closet. He handed her the towel. "Are you okay?"

Haley nodded, but then she remembered the conversation with her dad, and out of nowhere she started crying again. Nathan could see how vulnerable she was, how sad she was. He walked to her, and pulled her to his body.

His body was warm against her cold skin. She rested her head on his chest, and he put his arms around her. It felt good to be held like that, so gently. She felt like she was safe with him; that if she was there alone with him, nothing could hurt her. "Sorry," she said, pulling away from him. "I didn't mean to drown you with my problems." She wiped her eyes dry.

"It's okay. Here, take a shower. You don't want to get a cold." He led her to the washroom, and she realized there wasn't a point. She had nothing to change into.

"Uh...It's fine. I don't have any warm clothes to change into." Haley said.

"I'll lend you a shirt." Nathan offered, smiling. His smile was warm and welcoming.

Haley never felt this way before about a boy before. She's always closed off her heart in fear of getting hurt, like her dad was hurt when he lost the love of his life. But Nathan made her trust him. It wasn't the kind of trust you had in a friend, and she liked this new feeling inside of her.

After her shower, she found Nathan's shirt hanging off the door. The hot shower made her feel so much better, she was no longer shaking. The shirt was like a dress on her, and it reminded her of how short she was. Her hair was wet and straight, and she combed through it, letting out all the tangles. When she walked back into the living room, there was a mug of hot coffee waiting on the coffee table. She went to sit on the couch.

"The coffee's fresh." Nathan said, walking towards her holding a mug of his own. He stared at her bare legs as she sat down. Was she wearing anything underneath? He wondered. But then he shook that thought off. "Feel better?"

"Warm." She answered in a chuckle. She went to grab the coffee, and it felt good on her skin. The coffee smelled so good, she took a sip. "Thanks." She said.

Nathan nodded. "You can crash in Lucas' room since he won't be using it."

"Yup." Haley sighed. Her mind was caught with her father. Did he even wonder where she went? Was he worried on where she was? If she was alone on the street as the storm got worse? He didn't even try to call her cell phone. She realized Nathan was asking her something, and it snapped her out of her reverie. "What?"

"Do you wanna call someone? Your dad maybe? Tell him you're okay."

Haley shook her head. "I can't speak to him right now. I can't even look at him. The way I left, I was so angry. He didn't even try to stop me from leaving. I mean what kind of father is like that? They just let their child walk out on them, and don't even bother calling to check if they're okay."

"Maybe he knows you need space...to cool off. Give you time to think. I think he knows you well enough to know that you can be trusted. And I'm sure he knows you're smart to not go somewhere stupid." Nathan rationalized.

She took another drink from her coffee. "How would he know that? He hasn't even spent quality time with me since beofre my mom..." She found it difficult to complete the sentence.

"Hey, that's probably better than having your father know everything about you. Him knowing all you weaknesses and using them against you. Saying that it's just gonna make you stronger, and you hurting in the end of it all." His eyes weren't on her, they were on a picture of Karen and Lucas. You could tell that he was wishing he was the little boy in that picture, happy.

"Is it that bad at your home?" Haley realized that this whole time it's been about her and her problems. She was willing to be a listening ear to Nathan as he was with her.

Nathan didn't answer, and that probably meant a yes. "He said this was like a lesson of all the wrongs that I've done. Most parents ground you, my parents said you away." He scoffed.

"You want to go back? I mean to your parents?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I mean yeah, I miss my room, and my bed...but Karen treats me more like a son than my dad ever did."

"And your mom? What's she like?"

"She's never home. She's always off on business trips leaving me with my dad. I think she knows how hard it is to be around him, so she finds any reason to go ahead and leave." He paused for a minute. "She tried leaving him once...and it didn't work."

Haley felt sorry for him. "What happened?"

"I was thirteen. I heard my mom and dad fighting downstairs in my living room. I went down to check, and hid on the staircase. I saw my dad hit my mom, and she was crying. I ran back to my room, and then I pretended to be asleep. The next thing I knew, my mom came in my room, and she told me to be quiet. She said we were going somewhere. We made to the car and we made it all the way to the bus stop, but then her cell phone rang. She told me to wait, and she walked off to talk to whoever it was on the phone. I knew it was him. Once she finished, she said we had to reschedule the trip, and we drove back home. Since then..." Nathan's voice trailed off.

"She's been going on the business trips?" She finished his sentence.

"Yeah."

Haley placed her cup down back on the table. "Do you wish you actually left?"

"Sometimes. I know my dad loves me, or at least I'd like to think he does. He just has a difficult time of showing it." Nathan said it as if he was trying to convince himself of it. "And your dad loves you too."

"I remember the night my mom passed." She started. "My dad was on the other side of the room crying. He was listening to me as I begged her to stay with me. When she finally did pass, I was crying hysterically, and my dad didn't even come to me. He just walked out of the room. He never wants to talk about my mom, always dodging the subject. After the funeral he left me home alone and went to the bar, and when he got home he was drunk." Tears were in her eyes as the memory came to her. "I asked why he left me, and where he was. I asked him is this because of mom. He glared at me, and told me to not talk to him about her. He told me it was my fault she was gone. Ever since, I told myself he didn't mean it, he was drunk. So maybe that's why he doesn't talk to me, because he finds me responsible."

"How did she die?"

Haley took a deep breath. "She was sick for a long time, and the doctors said that it was a terminal illness. When she found out, I was 7. I only found out a couple months before it happened."

"You weren't responsible, Hales. There's nothing you could've done."

Haley turned her head to him. No one called her that except for Lucas, Brooke and her mom. The people she loved more than anything. And now he called her that. She smiled. "Thank you."

He checked the time, and it was quarter passed one. "Uh...you should go to sleep. You must be tired."

"Um... you can go. I think I'm gonna wait here for awhile." Haley said.

"You sure?" Nathan asked.

Haley nodded. "Good night."

"Night." He stood up, and walked to the hallway. But then he paused, and turned to her. "Haley, I'm sure that if your mom was here, she'd be really proud of the woman you became."

"Thanks."

Nathan smiled, and continued to his room.

After a couple of hours, Nathan woke up, and went to check on Haley. Lucas' room was empty, and he saw a figure on the couch in the living room. The figure was still, only the movement of her chest. He walked to her, and Haley was asleep. He knelt down beside her, and he brushed away the hairs on her face, putting it behind her ear. Her skin was so soft, he thought. She was beautiful. She looked so innocent, like an angel. He realized he's shared more of his life to her than to anyone else, and he hoped the same was for her. They both shared the same type of trust they had in each other, and he realized that what he was feeling for her was more than just friendship. Even though he just met her, he felt like they've known each other their whole lives. He watched her chest move up and down. He then saw her shiver a little. He took a blanket on the couch, and spread it over her body. He then sat on the chair across the couch, and watched for a little while. He too fell sleep there.

_Next: the friendship begins._


End file.
